140 Years Ago - 1883

The 8th annual picnic of Sullivan County Lodge No. 421, I.O.O.F. will be held in Inderlied’s Grove near Youngsville on Monday, August 21, 1883. Music will be furnished by the best brass and stringed band in the county and dancing will commence at 2 p.m. on the largest and best platform in the county now erected in the grove. Refreshments of all kinds may be obtained on the grounds and moderate prices will prevail in all departments. With the best music, platform, eatables, drinks and ladies what is to prevent having a jolly good time? Committee: Charles Homer, Solon Stoddard and Spencer Hardenburg.

130 Years Ago - 1893

E.E. Goodman has resigned his position at Bayonne, N.J., and is home with his parents at North Branch, superintending the butcher business of his father.

Dr. Fred A. Cook, brother of Theo. Cook of Hortonville, has started on his own account an expedition to the North Pole. He left on the steamer Zeta and will attempt to outdo the Peary expedition, which is but two days in advance of the Cook outfit.

H.W. Beringer is negotiating with Contractors Mead and Taft of Cornwall to build him a large hotel on his corner lot opposite Campbell & Sprague Co. store in Roscoe.

Mrs. E. S. Morris, the proprietress of the Mansion House, has turned the basement of the hotel, or more properly, the cafe into a poolroom and billiard room for the accommodation of her summer guests.

Mrs. Maria Frazer Hoag-land, the aged mother-in-law of W.J. Harding Esq., of Callicoon, died Monday night, June 16. She was nearly ninety years old and lived with Mr. Harding. She was born in Schoharie County in 1805. In partnership with his brother-in-law, her late husband John V. Hoagland established a tannery at Callicoon which the firm carried on successfully until it was succeeded by Hoyt Brothers. She was the mother of two daughters and a son, Aaron Hoag-land, who was a member of Sullivan County’s 143rd Regiment, and was killed gallantly fighting in the face of the foe at the battle of Peach Tree Creek. The funeral was held on Wednesday.

Picnics

German M.E. Sunday School, Union Park, August 9

Kollikoon Tribe I.O.R.M. at Union Park, Aug. 3

D.R. Church picnic, Union Park, Thursday, August 10.

Picnic and Clam Bake of Callicoon Lodge, F.&A.M. at Union Park, Aug. 16

St. Mary’s R.C.  Church and school picnic. Kille’s Grove, Obernburg, Aug 7.

120 Years Ago - 1903

Louis Attila, professor of physical culture of New York, is spending a week with his family at their residence in this village. The professor, already bedecked with gold and diamond medals, was recently the recipient of a representation in miniature of a five pound dumb bell of gold encrusted with diamonds, presented by Richard K. Fox of the Police Gazette. The presentation was made on the stage of the Drury Theatre one night recently. Professor Attila has been the instructor of the most renowned athletes of the world – Sandow, Romulus,  Remus, Milo – and others. Among the pupils of Prof. Attila was John Beiling of Youngs-ville, who attained the highest form of physical development.

Seventy dollars have already been subscribed toward prizes and expenses of a coaching parade in Jeffersonville this season. The day set for the parade is Monday, August 17. Handsome prizes will be given and the event this year promises to eclipse all former ones.

The summer school at Livingston Manor, conducted by principals Lain and McDermott, opened last week with fifteen scholars. More will be registered next week.

The 22 men who came to Liberty to work on the iron trestle and who struck for higher wages will lose their jobs. The men were receiving $3.50 and  $3.75 a day.

A union walking delegate notified the men to strike for 45 cents an hour. They did so and quit work. The contractor  has since had several men come on to take their places and the strikers have induced them also to quit work, with the exception of eight men. As the contractor is in no hurry to get up the iron trestle, there is plenty of time and it is going up. The 22 men who quit their jobs will lose by the operation.

110 Years Ago - 1913

The Callicoon National Bank directors on Tuesday gave the contract to the Jones, Beers Co. of Binghamton for the erection of a new bank building about 30 x 60 at the corner of lower Main and Bridge streets. This will be the largest bank building in Sullivan County. William Kohler of Jeffersonville is the architect.

John Yossie of East Aurora, Erie County, is spending a couple of weeks at the home of his step-brother, Andrew von Bergen.

“Gunboat” Edward Smith, the heavyweight pugilist, spent last week at the farm of Joseph Moser at Obernburg, where he was raised after being taken from a home.

For Sale: 24 acre farm, cheap, no reasonable offer refused. Frank Jaeger, RD 1, Livingston Manor, N.Y. (Note: this is the farm now owned by Kurt Abramczyk — it says in the 1973 Sullivan County Democrat.)

100 Years Ago - 1923

Ellenville Brewery was seized last Saturday. The trouble started when sometime before John Kuhlmann, his sons, Walter and Homer, and Chief of Police Nicholson of Ellenville were held on a charge of assault at the time of a visit by the Federal prohibition agents. On Wednesday, six federal agents, including Chief Chemist Julian and Special Deputy Attorney General Caster of Washington visited the brewery on Saturday. There was no resistance. They took 24 samples of the alleged beer in the different stages of manufacture. The plant was seized and the doors padlocked and sealed and notice of seizure posted.

Following a long illness John L. Roesner, proprietor of the Thornwood, a popular summer boarding house at Kenoza Lake, died early Sunday morning, aged 37 years. The funeral was held on Tuesday with a solemn requiem mass at St. George’s and burial in the cemetery adjoining. Mr. Roesner was president of the Holy Name Society and a member of Monticello Knights of Columbus.

The Daughters of the American Revolution dedicated a war memorial monument in the old Westfield Flats Cemetery at Roscoe. The Beaverkill Chapter of the DAR erected the memorial to commemorate Rachel Williams, a great-granddaughter of Roger Williams, who, with her husband, Jehiel Stewart in 1789, were the first settlers in that area following the Revolutionary War period. Jehiel Stewart was a Minute Man throughout the Revolutionary War. Following the Revolution, they removed with several small children from their home at Blandford, Mass., and striking westward through the wilderness, they settled down at what is now Roscoe.

90 Years Ago - 1933

William Kaschel, aged 84, who was tortured by long illness, threw himself from the bedroom window of the August Schmidt home, where he boarded, on July 7, and died of shock at the Callicoon Hospital on July 13. Mr. Kaschel was a cabinetmaker and worked at this trade in Jeffersonville since coming here thirty years ago.

Police Chief Harry Svenson, well-known and efficient chief of police of Liberty, died after a heart attack, at the Liberty hospital.

80 Years Ago - 1943

The marriage of Miss Doris T. Hick, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Hick, of Jeffersonville, and Roland J. Murphy, son of Mr. and Mrs. D’Arey Murphy of Lewiston, Niagara County, was solemnized at a Nuptial Mass at St. George’s R.C. Church in Jeffersonville, Saturday morning, July 17, with Rev. Harold Blake of Paterson, N.J., a former pastor, officiating.

Pvt. Herbert Thoney, who is now in North Africa, says the structure of the land over there is much different from that back home and the way people dress is “funny as hell.”

Richard Krongel, who went into the Army Signal Corps about a year ago, is now in the Aleutian Islands.

Mrs. Henry George (Frances Hemmer) is at camp at Masonville, Quebec, Canada. They have been going up there for many summers.

Philip F. Geib, aged 69, died of a heart ailment at his home in Hempstead, L.I. Mr. Geib was one of a family of thirteen children of Philip Geib and Sarah Bernhardt. He was born in 1873 on the farm now owned by Richard Schnibbe of the Callicoon Road.

Mary McDermott Elbert, aged 87, of Gutenberg, N.J., died July 17. She was one of seven children of John McDermott and Mary Murray, natives of Ireland, who came here from Greene, Chenango County, in 1850. In 1884 she was married to Charles F. Elbert, a native of Germany, who was then employed on the Charles W. Wilfert farm.

Burton D. Calkin, postmaster of Lake Huntington for the past nine years, died at his home, aged 72.

Mrs. Amanda Stewart announ-ced the engagement of her daughter, Katherine Jean, to J. Thomas McCoach, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph McCoach of Fosterdale.

Edith Johanna M. Wahl, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. August Wahl, and Sydney James Peters, son of George W. and the late Grace Fulton Peters of North Branch, were united in marriage on Saturday, July 17, at the North Branch Methodist Church.

70 Years Ago - 1953

Jeffersonville’s favorite boxer, Libby Manzo, won the judge’s decision in a six-round semi-final bout at the Eastern Parkway Arena in Brooklyn Monday, July 20, over Virgilio Cerensa of Puerto Rico.

Emma and Minnie Grouten of Brooklyn are guests at the Stratton farm. The sisters are daughters of the late Augustus Grouten, prominently known as a hotelman in western Sullivan County in days past.

Carrie, four-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fedlacek of Livingston Manor, sustained a badly crushed right arm on Tuesday, July 7, when the child accidentally caught her right hand in a wringer in her home.

Andrew Wagner, 77, formerly a Youngsville native, died in Liberty Maimonides Hospital Friday evening after being taken ill while visiting friends in this section. Three daughters survive.

Three cows were reported killed by lightning in the storm Sunday, two belonging to Adolph Schumacher of Beechwoods and one belonging to Althea Misner in Bethel. A bull belonging to Mrs. Cummings in Beechwoods was hit but not killed.

David Waxman and Donald Slater were awarded United States Savings Bonds for alertness in identifying the getaway car used by Arthur A. Nachman of White Lake after he robbed the Ellenville bank of $7000. The two boys are employed by the Ellenville Fruit Exchange across the street from the bank.

On July 13, Herbert W.  Reinheimer died at the Queens General Hospital in Jamaica, L.I. He was born in Callicoon Center October 17, 1889. The funeral was from the Kearnes Funeral Parlor of Richmond Hill on July 16 and burial was in Ever-green Cemetery.

60 Years Ago - 1963

A business certificate as partners in the operation of Roche’s Garage, Callicoon local Pontiac agency, was filed last Tuesday at the county clerk’s office by Maurice “Reese” Roche and his brother, James F. “Mickey” Roche.

Two village of Liberty policemen narrowly escaped death, at least 15 firemen were treated for minor injuries and smoke poisoning as a fire destroyed two stores and damaged several others, including the Liberty Theatre, on Saturday night. Damage was estimated at nearly a quarter million dollars. Heavy acrid smoke felled the firemen in the worst blaze in the village since the Christmas fire of 1948 which destroyed a complete block in sub-zero weather.

The Callicoon Center Schuetzen Verein held their annual shooting match on July 7 with a fine turnout. Based on a possible 150, the high scorers were: Peter Cummings, 137; Karl Sauer, 136; David McCabe, 131; M. Minous, 126; Gary Bury, 123; A. Fred Mootz, 122; Robert Marin, 120; Charles Berner, 116; Gale Bury, 113; H.G. Olscher, 112; and R. Schrumpf, 112.

A son, David John, was born July 9 to Mr. and Mrs. David Pallis of Bellmore, L.I. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Edwards of Abrahamsville, Pa., are the proud grandparents.

Fire destroyed the more than 75-year-old Kiamesha Playhouse on Route 42 Wednesday morning, July 17, causing a breakdown in the multipair cable of the New York Telephone Co.

50 Years Ago - 1973

It was a lucky day for Raymond Herrmann of Roscoe when he decided to break off a drive through the Wayne County, Pa., countryside to browse around the Lakewood store of James Tyson. He did buy a Pennsylvania lottery ticket and last week was cashing a check for $75,000 as a winner. Mr. Tyson received $750 as his commission.

For the seventh year in a row, Frederick Tegeler of Narrowsburg has been named as an executive vice president of the Academy of Honor of the Prudential Insurance Co. of North America, by selling more than one  million dollars of insurance protection to his clients.

More than two hundred friends and neighbors of the United National Bank turned out Saturday, July 14, to look over the new UNB permanent Sparrow Bush office.

At the Liberty-Loomis Hospital it was a girl, Tonya Sue, July 6, to Mr. and Mrs. James Malone of Liberty; July 9, a boy, Thomas Ira, to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Roberts of Livingston Manor; July 10, a girl, Theresa Marie, to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Graner of RD Liberty; and July 11, a boy to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Burk of Woodbourne.

A symbolic “golden spike” was driven on July 9 by Joseph Jaycox, State Commerce Department official, to commemorate the 100th Year of Tourism in Sullivan County which began a century earlier with completion of the interior railroad that became the immortal O&W.

Miss Joyce Hunter of Obernburg became the bride of Steven J. Hillriegel of Callicoon at St. Mary’s R.C. Church, Obernburg, on June 30.

Ann Marie Smallbone and Edward P. Krauss Jr., both of Fosterdale, were united in marriage June 24 at the First Lutheran Church of Jeffersonville.

40 Years Ago - 1983

Lydia Cotto Pellot of Brooklyn, and her husband and two daughters, called on the Earle Poley family in North Branch, renewing acquaintances made 19 years ago when Lydia was a “Fresh Air Kid,” from New York City and assigned to the Poley family “for the time of her life.” A great time was had reminiscing those wonderful days. The Poleys were involved with the Fresh Air Family for twenty years and Lydia was the third child they hosted. 

The Eighth Annual Verkhovyna Youth Festival was held July 15-17 at Glen Spey. The festival with its numerous exhibits and musical and dance companies from all over the United States and Canada, draws thousands in Sullivan County each year to help celebrate the culture of  Ukraine.

The Cochecton Feed Mill in Cochecton have expanded their facility by the addition of a four compartment storage bin cluster and the 20-foot extension of an elevator in order to load pellet feed into the high bins above the store.

Keith Manzolillo and his sister, Debbie, have refurbished the former Robert’s Inn in Hortonville with extensive remodeling inside and an exterior covering of rough-cut siding and a new roof. They will open July 22 under the name of Four Seasons.

 Mr. and Mrs. Ludwig Gampfer were honored on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary at a meeting of the Sunshine Senior Club in Lake Huntington on Sunday. A decorated cake was enjoyed after a bounteous buffet luncheon... Mr. and Mrs. Carl Eugeni celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 26 at the American Legion Hall in Livingston Manor.

Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Brinning of White Lake were honored twice on the occasion of their 50th anniversary which was June 25. The first party in the evening of June 23, was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Norris in Monticello for members of their church and other friends, and the second, a family gathering, was given on the 25th at the home of their son, Robert and Dorothy Brining in Suffern.

The Town of Delaware Board scheduled two public meetings to discuss possible revisions in town structure at its regular meeting Thursday night. The hearings, both scheduled for August 11, will concern combining the duties of the tax collector and town clerk into one position and changing the status of the town board of supervisors from three elected assessors to one appointed “sole” assessor, perhaps sharing those duties with another small town.

Rubin Pollack, retiring Sullivan County District Superintendent, will be honored at a dinner at Kutsher’s Country Club on October 23.

The first R. & H. Gorr’s Softball Tournament will be held this weekend, July 23-24, at the Delaware Youth Center field in Callicoon. Eight Western Sullivan League teams are expected to compete in the modified fast-pitch, single-elimination tournament.

30 Years Ago - 1993

The 213th anniversary of the Battle of Minisink will be observed at special ceremonies to be held at the Sullivan County Park in Minisink on Thursday, July 22. The ceremonies recall the clash between Col. Joseph Brandt, head of a 300-man pro-British force of the Six National Indian Confederacy, and Col. Benjamin Tusten of Orange County, leading a force of 120 militiamen from Goshen, Warwick and New Jersey.

Mike Hosking held the cow while Les Hosking demonstrated the technique of bovine body clipping on a Jersey heifer at the Kay’s Farm in the Beechwoods for a group of 4-H kids who plan to enter their animals in the county fair in Grahamsville next month. Both Bob and Linda Kays are active leaders in the 4-H and have been associated with the local Moo Juicers 4-H Club for many years.

Lil Gabriel was recognized by the Town of Bethel for her 25-year commitment to the beautification program. She recently moved to Maryland but returned for the presentation. Mrs. Gabriel worked with the Working Together 4-H Club in serving as caretakers of Duggan Square since 1968. The Square has become the site of annual Commemoration Day festivities and Christmas displays.

At an auction to raise funds for the restoration of the old Cochecton Railroad Station, $4,715.50 was realized, much to the pleasure of the sponsors.

Videbel’s Old Tyme Circus came to Callicoon Center’s Firemen’s Field on Sunday and attracted more than 1,000 attendees.

20 Years Ago - 2003

For years, the Sullivan County Legislature has discussed the possibility of capturing methane gas naturally produced at the Sullivan County Landfill and converting it into electrical energy. The Legislature called a special meeting of the Department of Public Works Committee on July 10 to finally push that idea into reality.

The Minisink Raid in which 46 militiamen from this area were killed was remembered on Sunday afternoon at the Minisink Battleground Park in Minisink Ford.

For the last two years, Sullivan County District 6 Legislator Jodi Goodman has headed up an effort to improve relations between the summer and year-round residents. The Committee for Better Summer Relations includes local officials from every level of government and representatives of the summer communities from throughout the county. The last meeting took place in Brooklyn about a month earlier, and detailed what to expect – discussing everything from bears to hospital service to public safety.

The Shohola Pa. Railroad and Historical Society dedicated a flagpole at the Shohola Caboose in honor of the former 52-year Town of Highland historian, the late Austin Smith. The event took place on what would have been Smith’s 93rd birthday. 

PFC Daniel Stabak, son of Ron Stabak of Liberty, has been awarded the Army Commendation Medal With Valor for his heroic actions while on duty April 8, 2003, in Iraq.

10 Years Ago - 2013

Bradley Diuguid, who recently took over the executive director’s position at the Catskill Art Society in Livingston Manor, is a onetime Monticello resident and Eldred High School graduate. He has returned to Sullivan County after working in such illustrious places as Waterwell, The Juilliard School, and the American Repertory Theater.

DEATHS; Tom Powers of Hankins, known to many of his friends as “Dooley,” passed away peacefully on July 20, 2013... Rebe Proyect, a lifetime area resident and the business partner and widow of David Proyect, died peacefully in Hospice by the Sea on July 19, 2013... Lawrence B. Miller, the owner and operator of Lawrence B. Miller & Associates, died on Sunday, July 21... Scott E. Green of White Sulphur Springs died July 19, 2013... Angelo Niforatos, the founder and a former owner of the Roscoe Diner, died Saturday, July 20, 2013... Doris A. Korth died on July 21, 2013 at the age of 85. She was a retired assessor for the Town of Rockland.

Legislators honored Sullivan County Public Health and Patient Services Director Carol Ryan last week during her last Legislature meeting. Ryan, a 39-year registered nurse and a 25-year county employee, is retiring at the end of this month, to be replaced by Nancy McGraw as public health director and Lise Kennedy as patient services director.